Claims that three talented young Muslim chess players were subjected to racist
abuse, and in one case assaulted, by some parents of other competitors at an
international tournament are “unfounded”, the English Chess Federation has
found.

Tomasina Contu, with her children Yousuf bin-Suhayl, Ibraheem and Ieysaa, were part of an English Chess Federation delegation to an international tournament in Austria

The father of the three brothers, aged seven, 10 and 13, alleged that they and their mother were bullied and ostracised by some members of the English delegation to a competition in Austria.

Sohale Rahman claimed that his wife was spat at and that his eldest son was left bleeding after being assaulted in what he described as Islamophobic abuse.

However, the English Chess Federation (ECF) said after a “thorough” investigation it had concluded that there was no evidence that racism or religious intolerance played any part.

The federation found there was a “disagreement” between some families in the English delegation to the European Union Youth Chess Championships between July 31 and August 9 because of complaints about alleged disruptive behaviour by some children.

It said in a statement: “The investigation obtained statements from eye-witnesses. It concluded that the allegations of racist or Islamophobic abuse and of a physical attack are unfounded.”

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The federation also rejected claims by Mr Rahman that the hotel where his family stayed in Austria failed to provide halal food, finding that “extensive efforts” were made to meet their requirements.

It continued: “The ECF takes any charge of racism or religious intolerance extremely seriously and we absolutely condemn discriminatory behaviour of any kind.The ECF is also committed to the safety of all competitors who take part in tournaments at home and abroad.”

Mr Rahman said the English Chess Federation’s findings were “farcical” and did not shed any light on what happened in Austria.

“They have added insult to injury with this statement,” he said.

Yousuf bin-Suhayl, 13, and his brothers Ibraheem, 10, and Ieysaa, seven, were selected to represent England at the tournament in Mureck, Austria, and travelled there with their mother, Tomasina Contu.

Mr Rahman, from Marshland St James, Norfolk, alleged that some parents of other English children taking part in the competition ganged up on and bullied his family.

He alleged that tensions rose to the point where an English Chess Federation official warned his wife not to go back to the hotel where the families were staying because he “could not guarantee her safety”, and Mrs Contu had to call Austrian police to escort them there.

Mr Rahman said he intends to pursue his complaints further and has been in contact with both Norfolk Police and Scotland Yard.